Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Obama Announces New Strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Last Friday, March 27, President Obama announced a new U.S. military strategy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the transcript of his announcement, which can be found on the White House blog (both text and video are available), President Obama states that he "want[s] the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future."

A white paper on the new U.S. policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan can be found here. To read military leaders' responses to the new policy, see this press release at the Department of Defense's website.

For a less current, but more in-depth, report on U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan, read the Five-Year Afghanistan Report that was issued in 2006 to recognize the five-year anniversary of Operation Enduring Freedom.

You can find more government resources on Afghanistan in our guide to resources about Terrorism.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Obama Demands Changes at GM and Chrysler

Today President Obama outlined restructuring plans for auto-makers General Motors and Chrysler, which included the required resignation of GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner and the suggestion that Chrysler partner with Italian auto-maker Fiat. Read about these government ultimatums in the Detroit Free press.

In today's White House blog post, President Obama explains that these restructuring decisions are a response to his Auto Task Force's completed evaluation of the viability of General Motors and Chrysler. You can find a list of the members of this Task Force on the Treasury Department's website.

For specifics on the restructuring of GM and Chrysler, see these government documents:

To find additional resources about business, see our guide to Business and Economic Information.

GAO Releases This Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as the Ryan White CARE Act, the HUBZone Program, federal student aid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and private health insurance. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports
Correspondence
Testimonies

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Early Spring Blizzard Storms into Colorado

An early spring snowstorm descended upon Colorado today, blanketing the state's Front Range with anywhere from 6 to 24 inches of snow and shutting down schools, businesses, and roads while forcing airlines to cancel flights to and from Denver International Airport (see the report at 9News.com).

The blizzard shut down University of Colorado's Boulder campus, but that doesn't prevent us from posting to our blog. And today seems like an appropriate day to draw your attention to government web resources on weather. All of these are from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

For more government resources on weather, see our guide.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Could Sharif Play a New Role in U.S.-Pakistan Relations?

In "U.S. Weighs Sharif as Partner in Pakistan," yesterday's New York Times suggests the Obama administration is considering whether Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif can be a reliable partner in the U.S.'s fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Sharif, who was Pakistan's prime minister for six years from 1990 to 1999 before being ousted by General Pervez Musharraf, regained government support in Pakistan this month when he led a protest causing the government to restore Pakistan's Chief Justice Chaudhry. You can read more about Sharif's role in Pakistani politics in the U.S. Department of State's Background Notes on Pakistan or in this Times Topics article.

For the latest perspective on Pakistan from the U.S. Department of Defense, take a look at this news article from March 13. For a less current, but more detailed, report on U.S.-Pakistan relations, see this Congressional Research Service Issue Brief from 2003.

For more resources on Pakistan and its relations with the U.S., see our guide to Pakistan.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on foreign relations, CO2 capture, nuclear weapons, and much more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by OpenCRS and Secrecy News:
Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Monday, March 23, 2009

GAO Releases This Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as the global War on Terrorism, aviation security, the Bank Secrecy Act, and oil and gas leasing. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports
Correspondence
Testimonies
Presentation By The Acting Comptroller General
  • "Challenges Facing the New Administration and the 111th Congress," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general of the United States, before the JFMIP 2009 Federal Financial Management Conference, in Washington, D.C. GAO-09-510CG, March 12, 2009.
    http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d09510cg.pdf

Friday, March 20, 2009

Budget Outlook Bad for Colorado

Colorado's budget woes are even greater than the $600 million shortfall legislators had initially uncovered. The state's Legislative Council informed the Joint Budget Committee that Colorado's budget deficit for the fiscal year ending in June would increase by another $207.5 million. If the next budget year, starting in July, is included, this means that the state now faces a $1.4 billion shortfall. More discouraging news about the Colorado economy is that the state lost 48,000 jobs, or 2.3 percent of its workforce, between August and January. Read the Denver Post article here.

See the Colorado government's website for more about Colorado's economic downturn:

Refer to our guide for additional resources on Colorado State government.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

House Holds Hearing on AIG

Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives held a hearing to discuss the global economic impact of insurance company American International Group (AIG), which has received over $150 billion in federal aid within the past year and is offering $165 million in bonuses to its executives. Read about the hearing in the New York Times.

To watch a webcast of the hearing, "American International Group’s Impact on the Global Economy: Before, During, and After Federal Intervention," see the House Financial Committee's website. You can also view the blog on WhiteHouse.gov to read President Obama's criticism of the AIG bonuses.

And now would be an interesting time to see what FinancialStability.gov has to say about the AIG bonuses. Unfortunately, the top of this web page still reads, "This site is coming soon."

For additional resources, see our guide to Business and Economic Information.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Boulder Not Meeting Kyoto Protocol Targets

Although the United States as a nation did not sign the Kyoto Protocol, many American cities have nevertheless committed themselves to meeting this treaty's goals by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to 7% below 1990 levels. According to an article in Boulder's Daily Camera , 900 mayors representing 81 million Americans have pledged that their cities would comply with the Kyoto Protocol. Boulder, Colorado, is one of these cities.

Unfortunately, Boulder’s Office of Environmental Affairs told the Boulder City Council that without more funding the city will only meet one-third of its emissions target.

To meet its "Kyoto Resolution" (see the City of Boulder's "Climate Action Plan" web page), the City is thinking about raising its carbon tax.

Want more information about the Kyoto Protocol? See our guide to Treaties. Need to find resources for the City of Boulder's government? Be sure to check out this guide.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on broadband Internet access, Medicare, the financial crisis, and more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by OpenCRS and Secrecy News:
Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Monday, March 16, 2009

ICRC Report Suggests CIA Violated International Law

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ended a confidential report on CIA prisons by stating that the Bush administration's treatment of al-Qaeda prisoners "constituted torture," a conclusion with a strong suggestion that CIA interrogation methods violated international law. Read the article in the Washington Post.

The ICRC's 2007 report "states that some U.S. practices amounted to 'cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.' Such maltreatment of detainees is expressly prohibited by the Geneva Conventions." You can read more about the Geneva Conventions on this page of the ICRC's website.

At least five copies of the ICRC's secret report were shared with the CIA and top White House officials in 2007 but "barred from public release by ICRC guidelines intended to preserve the humanitarian group's strict policy of neutrality in conflicts," according to the Post. Nevertheless, journalism professor and author Mark Danner obtained a copy of the report and has published excerpts from it in the New York Review of Books.

For more resources on this topic, see our guides to Human Rights and Treaties.

Friday, March 13, 2009

GAO Releases This Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as clean coal, Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), highway infrastructure, and Afghanistan Security. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports
Correspondence
Testimonies

Colo. Governor Approves of In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants

According to an article in today's Denver Post, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter claims he'd sign a bill that would offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants if it reaches his desk. Until now, Ritter hadn't made clear whether or not he supported Colorado Senate Bill 170, which would require that a person attending a Colorado high school for at least 3 years and enrolling in a
Colorado college or university within 5 years would gain in-state tuition privilege regardless of immigration status.

You can go to the Colorado Department of Higher Education's website to find current classification guidelines for higher education in Colorado. See this page to find out how the State of Colorado defines "immigrants" or "resident aliens" for tuition purposes.

As of today, the second reading of Senate Bill 170 has been referred, with amendments, to the Senate Appropriations Committee. To see the history of, find various versions of, and find additional information about this and other Colorado legislation, see the web page of the Colorado General Assembly. Still searching for more information about education and legislation in Colorado State? See our guide to Colorado State Resources.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

CRS reports this week

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on agriculture, piracy, greenhouse gas, and more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by OpenCRS:
Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Monday, March 09, 2009

World Bank Claims Global Economic Downturn Could Hurt Developing Countries Most

A new report released by the World Bank warns that the first global recession since World War II is taking a major toll on developing countries, undoing efforts to reduce poverty and possibly leading to political instability. See the article in the Washington Post or read the full World Bank report, Swimming Against the Tide, which is available on its website as a PDF.

The World Bank suggests ways in which developed nations dealing with their own financial struggles can still assist developing countries. One proposal is for developed countries to contribute 0.7 percent of the money spent on stimulus programs to a new Vulnerability Fund to help developing countries. The Vulnerability Fund is described in this press release.

For additional resources, see our guides to the World Bank and Development.

Friday, March 06, 2009

GAO Releases This Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as influenza pandemic, the 2010 Census, and immigration enforcement. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports
Correspondence
Guidance
Testimonies
  • 2010 Census: Fundamental Building Blocks of a Successful Enumeration Face Challenges, by Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues; and David Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-430T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-430T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09430thigh.pdf
  • 2010 Census: Little Time Remains to Address Operational Challenges, by Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues; and David Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-408T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-408T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09408thigh.pdf
  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: GAO's Role in Helping to Ensure Accountability and Transparency, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-453T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-453T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09453thigh.pdf
  • Climate Change: Observations on the Potential Role of Carbon Offsets in Climate Change Legislation, by John Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-09-456T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-456T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09456thigh.pdf
  • Defense Acquisitions: DOD Must Balance Its Needs with Available Resources and Follow an Incremental Approach to Acquiring Weapon Systems, by Michael J. Sullivan, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. GAO-09-431T, March 3.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-431T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09431thigh.pdf
  • Defense Management: Increased Attention on Fuel Demand Management at DOD's Forward-Deployed Locations Could Reduce Operational Risks and Costs, by William M. Solis, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Readiness, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-09-388T, March 3.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-388T
  • Department of Energy: Contract and Project Management Concerns at the National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Environmental Management, by Gene Aloise, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-09-406T, March 4.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-406T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09406thigh.pdf
  • Department of Homeland Security: Organizational Structure, Spending, and Staffing for the Health Care Provided to Immigration Detainees, by Alicia Puente Cackley, director, health care, before the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-09-401T, March 3.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-401T
  • Department of the Interior: Major Management Challenges, by Robin M. Nazzaro and Franklin Rusco, directors, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-09-425T, March 3.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-425T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09425thigh.pdf
  • Disaster Recovery: Past Experiences Offer Recovery Lessons for Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and Future Disasters, by Stanley J. Czerwinski, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-09-437T, March 3.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-437T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09437thigh.pdf
  • DOD Business Transformation: Status of DOD's Actions on Previous Recommendations for the Defense Travel System, by Asif A. Khan, director, financial management and assurance, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-09-416T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-416T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09416thigh.pdf
  • Immigration Enforcement: Controls over Program Authorizing State and Local Enforcement of Federal Immigration Laws Should Be Strengthened, by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice, before the House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-09-381T, March 4.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-381T
  • Information Technology: Census Bureau Testing of 2010 Decennial Systems Can Be Strengthened, by David Powner, director, information technology management issues; and Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-414T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-414T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09414thigh.pdf
  • Information Technology: Census Bureau Needs to Strengthen Testing of 2010 Decennial Systems, by David Powner, director, information technology management issues; and Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-413T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-413T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09413thigh.pdf
  • NASA: Projects Need More Disciplined Oversight and Management to Address Key Challenges, by Cristina Chaplain, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-09-436T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-436T
  • Systemic Risk: Regulatory Oversight and Recent Initiatives to Address Risk Posed by Credit Default Swaps, by Orice M. Williams, director, financial markets and community investment, before the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises, House Committee on Financial Services. GAO-09-397T, March 5.
    http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-397T
    Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09397thigh.pdf

Aid Workers Forced to Leave Sudan

The Times Online (London) reports that the Sudanese government, in protest of the warrant for the arrest of its president, is creating a humanitarian crisis by expelling aid organizations from the country. The International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued a warrant for the arrest of President Omar Al Bashir on March 4 for "war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Sudan told 13 international charities--including Oxfam, Medicins sans Frontieres, and Care--that it was revoking their licenses to operate in Sudan because the organizations had provided information to the ICC. The Sudanese government denounces the arrest warrant on its website, describing the ICC "as the White Man Court which strives to politicize justice paving the way for new colonization." However, a UN News Centre article warns that the expulsion of the aid agencies could have dire humanitarian consequences for the region.

For additional resources about Sudan, see our guide to this country.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on presidential records, arms control, the motor vehicle industry, and more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News:



Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Monday, March 02, 2009

EU Discord over Bailout of Eastern European Countries

Today the Washington Post reported that European leaders refused to meet a request by Hungary for $240 billion in financial assistance to Eastern European countries. Read the article here. An EU summit was held in Brussels on Sunday to discuss the economic crisis, which has hit Eastern Europe particularly hard with currency devaluations and financial difficulties. The EU has issued a press release about the summit on its Europa website.

The Post article states that Hungary and Latvia have received financial bailouts from the International Monetary Fund and that the World Bank has approved aid to the region. A January IMF article website discusses the necessity of financially assisting "emerging Europe," and a World Bank article provides the same suggestion.

Want to learn more about the situation? See our guide to the European Union.